Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
« Home »
View PDFPyralidae Members: Omphalocera Members: 4 NC Records

Omphalocera cariosa Lederer, 1863 - Moonseed Webworm Moth

Omphalocera cariosaOmphalocera cariosa
view caption 		Omphalocera cariosaOmphalocera cariosa
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Pyraloidea		 Family:
Pyralidae		Subfamily:
Galleriinae		Tribe:
Megarthridiini		P3 Number:
80a0044		 MONA Number:
5625.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Omphalocera cariosaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our two records for this species come from stands of bottomland hardwoods.
Larval Host Plants: In North Carolina, larvae have been recorded on Canada Moonseed (Menispermum canadense). Reports of this species on pawpaw (Asimina) or barberry (Berberis) may represent other species in this genus. There is also a BugGuide record (George Smiley, 2022) of a larva feeding on Carolina Coralbead (Nephroia carolina) in Texas. - View
Observation Methods: This species may come poorly to lights. Searching Moonseed populations for larvae may be the best way to document this species.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S2S3
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Omphalocera cariosa - Moonseed Webworm Moth

Photos: 7
Omphalocera cariosaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-30
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Omphalocera cariosaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-30
Orange Co.
Comment: A larva beneath a web on Menispermum canadense.
Omphalocera cariosaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-09
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Omphalocera cariosaRecorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-07-05
Durham Co.
Comment: caterpillars in a group web on Menispermum canadense. These photos of the same group of caterpillars were taken 5 July, 8 July, and 17 July 2022 (see companion photos).
Omphalocera cariosaRecorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-07-05
Durham Co.
Comment: caterpillars in a group web on Menispermum canadense. These photos of the same group of caterpillars were taken 5 July, 8 July, and 17 July 2022 (see companion photos).		Omphalocera cariosaRecorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-07-05
Durham Co.
Comment: caterpillars in a group web on Menispermum canadense. These photos of the same group of caterpillars were taken 5 July, 8 July, and 17 July 2022 (see companion photos).
Omphalocera cariosaRecorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2017-06-21
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: